Stephanie%2520Metzger Archive

The Lake County Captains picked up five straight wins this week as the team's offense has suddenly come to life. They remain 6 1/2 games back in the second half playoff race, though the first place West Michigan Whitecaps have already clinched a spot. Sitting just 2 1/2 games behind the second place South Bend Silver Hawks, the Captains are still playing meaningful baseball.

The Lake County Captains' offense appeared to go missing last week. Luckily, the team received a few solid pitching performances, particularly from Mitch Brown - though the team posted a 3-4 record for the week. The final full month of the season has arrived, but the Captains are slipping from contention for a second-half playoff spot. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger provides the week in review for the Captains....

The inclement weather doused the Captains week, but the team managed to pick up a trio of wins. It dropped two to the Wiscosin Timber Rattlers and one to the West Michigan Whitecaps, but managed to split with the Beloit Snappers as one game was cancelled due to rain. The Captains now sit 6.5 games back in the second half standings with a 45-62 overall record, the third worst in the Midwest League. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger shares her weekly notebook...

The Captains have fallen victim to a seven-game losing skid, a tough 180 flip from the six-game winning streak the team crafted just two weeks ago. The team remains the worst-hitting squad in the league with a collective .239 average, but they lead the Midwest League in home runs with 85. Here's the week in review for the Captains.

Brian Ruiz's family took advantage of opportunity when it moved from the Dominican Republic to Cleveland. Now, Ruiz is seizing the opportunity to play professional baseball with his hometown team. Ruiz continues to live at home on the city's West Side, just 30 minutes from Classic Park, home of the low-A Lake County Captains. Join Stephanie Metzger as she profiles Ruiz about playing so close to home and much more.

Claudio Bautista isn't a high-profile ballplayer. Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2011, Bautista isn't a big name infielder -- not when guys by the names of Francisco Lindor, Joe Wendle and Jose Ramirez are around. That said, Bautista has quietly crafted a solid season with the Lake County Captains. Join Stephanie Metzger as she profiles Bautista and recaps the week for the Captains in her weekly notebook.

The Captains had a rough week losing five in a row before winning on Wednesday night to finish the week 1-6. Some bats are starting to heat up (and some cool down) and the roster shuffling continues as players continue to come and go. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recaps the week that was for the Captains...

Jake Lowery took a a 2-2 fastball to the face the night of April 18, and he’s still feeling the effects. The pitch fractured three of Lowery’s facial bones and sidelined him for six weeks. It didn’t, however, shatter his season. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recently sat down to talk to the Akron backstop and provides an update on how he is doing post-injury and how his season is going.

It is often not easy for young players to adjust to pro ball and for some it can take a few seasons before they settle in and really begin to make some progress. For Low-A Lake County righty Mitch Brown, that has been the case as he strugged his first year-plus in the organization but is really starting to settle in now. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recently caught up with him to talk about his season and also recaps the week that was for the Captains...

Baseball bloodlines have become an integral part of the game. The Alomars, the Ripkens, the Molinas. The Niekro knuckleball danced its way through generations. Ken Griffey Jr. once played alongside his father, solidifying one of baseball’s greatest father-son moments. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger talks about Michael Brantley's cousin Justin who is making his way through the Indians minor league system as a pitcher.
Baseball seems to be a genetic trait, and the Brantley family is no different.

Double-A Akron right-handed pitcher Joseph Colon is enjoying his best season yet as a pro and as a result has seen his prospect status rise. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recently sat down with the talented sinkerballer to talk about his season and what his main focus is on the mound.

The Lake County Captains (32-44) crafted a successful week, giving them a solid start to the season’s second half. Posting a 5-1 record, the team holds the best second-half record in the Midwest League and seems to have found some new life after an underwhelming first half. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recaps the week that was for the Captains...

The Lake County Captains had a brief 3-1 week as the first half of the season came to a close. Overall, the first half has been tough for the squad as they post a league-worst 27-43 record and sit 14 games out of first place in the Eastern Division. Despite some severe offensive struggles, the team has boasted some bright spots, including a solid first half from pitcher Robbie Aviles and a breakout performance from infielder Paul Hendrix. Stephanie Metzger recaps the past week went for the Captains, who will regroup to begin the second half of the season June 19.

The Lake County Captains (27-42) tamed the Dayton Dragons (35-32) with a 5-1 victory behind a solid pitching performance. Lefty Luis Lugo (4-4,4.56) countered Dayton right-hander Sal Romano (4-5, 3.42) for the start. Lugo, who had a rough start to his season, was coming off a trio of impressive previous starts. That remained the case on Saturday.

The Lake County Captains (24-42) split a 4-4 week, including a sweep of a rain makeup double-header June 5. The team managed to keep most games tight, except for June 6, which resulted in a 14-4 blowout loss. The team remains the worst-hitting squad in the league and the pitching sits among the bottom half of the Midwest League, but they're finding small ways to win. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recaps the Captains' previous week.

The Lake County Captains recorded a 2-3 record last week, including a rainout on June 4. The team partook in some close games last week, including a one-run win and a one-run loss to the South Bend Silver Hawks. The offense remains the worst-hitting team in the Midwest League, but sits third in the home run rankings. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger reviews the Captains' previous week.

The Lake County Captains posted a 2-5 week, but some close games at least kept the games interesting. The offense remains underwhelming as infielder Paul Hendrix is the only player hitting above .300. The team failed to produce any runs in three of its losses last week, and its two wins were one-run games. Here's the week that went down for the Captains.

Clint Frazier knows he has young, gifted talent. He also knows he has something unique -- his own identity. He is working through his first full season and managing all of the expectations that come when you are a first round pick, but through it all he is just focusing on being himself. The IBI's Stephanie Metzger recently caught up with him to get his thoughts on several things related to his pro career to date.

Perhaps it was the warm weather, or perhaps things are just starting to click, but last week seemed to be a nice improvement for the Lake County Captains. The team went 5-2, stringing together a three-game win streak the past three days. The bullpen has offered some nice outings and the offense has collectively picked itself up. Here's what happened during the Captains' previous week.

Since last season, Jimmy Stokes has picked up some velocity on his fastball. He also picked up a college diploma. The tall right-handed pitcher is currently in Arizona out in extended spring training and the IBI's Stephanie Metzger recently caught up with him to see how things are going and how his new throwing program is coming along.

Available IBI Books

The 2014 Cleveland Indians Baseball Insider book featuring the Indians' Top 100 Prospects and more is now available. Also, previous editions from 2008-2012 are also available at a discounted rate. Just click on the book image for more information. Thanks again for all the support!